Name:

GERMAN GUTIERREZ

Occupation:
Fanshawe College Professor

Family information:
Married, two daughters, one son

Community work:
There are several community organizations in London that I have supported,
endorsed, and/or worked with: London Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership
Council (Chair of the Sub-council on Inclusion and Civic Engagement); Teachers
of English as a Second Language Association of Ontario-London Chapter (Chair of
the communications committee);Wil employment connections (Former Board
Member); Wheable Centre for Adult Education (Volunteer); Children's Aid
Society; London City Hall Toastmasters Club (Founding Member); Chinese
Canadian National Council - London Chapter – Instructor.

Would you support a four-year tax freeze (yes or no)? Why or why not?
This is a question that needs further contextualization for a proper answer. I can
share with you that I do not feel comfortable with the idea of a tax-freeze, because
Taxes are not inherently bad. Taxes are the price we pay for living in a civilized
society, delivering a wide range of goods and services, which include
infrastructure, healthcare, policing, libraries, transit and utilities. However,
residential property taxes, water, and sewer rates are already too high. The existing
tax structure in London favours commercial and industrial interests and places an
unfair share of the burden on families. I would rather favour a re-structuring of the
tax-base so that the taxes that citizens have to pay are alleviated by the fact that
commercial and industrial interests are not favoured over those of already over-
burdened families. Some of the tax burden should be shifted to the corporate
sector. After all, if it weren’t for the infrastructure and services that the
municipality provides, corporations would have to pay the whole service at its
actual cost. The fact that they are in part subsidized by homeowners is not
something that City Council should be proud of.

Why do you want to represent Londoners at city hall?

I am running for city council mainly because I believe that the best leadership is
example. We Canadians are being weakened by a thing worse than recession. I call
it Political Homelessness. It is the result of people stepping away from the exercise
of their constitutional rights because they feel that it isn't worthwhile any longer.
For many years they struggled to be heard and then, after decades of indifference
from all levels of government, they softly say to themselves: "Well, whatever I do,
nothing's going to change, so...why bother? When millions make that same
unfortunate choice, the immediate result is Political Homelessness. You see,
although Politics is superficially defined as the science of government, it is actually
the process and method of decision-making by and for democratic groups of
human beings . It is made possible through the union of the voices of the people.
No voices... no politics. We need to give Politics back to its rightful owners: the
People. For many years I have spoken about this and about the role of new
immigrants in the future of our country. We need many new Canadians who are
prepared to understand the ideas, circumstances and behaviours that have shaped
Canada so that work in any future direction will always be based on preserving
those sacred principles, customs and values that have made Canada a great Nation.
The time has now come to validate all this with actions. I have international and
local experience, leadership, and community involvement and I believe -from past
experience- that the time has come to truly listen to the people. As a citizen, I have
a strong stake in our community. Ward 3, with its privileged location in the North
East end of the city, its strong industry, the presence of Fanshawe College and
the International Airport, as well as its conservation areas, farmlands and
residential neighborhoods, has all the requirements to become a model centre of
development for London.

What do you consider

a) the most important issue for London?
The most important issues in London include but are not limited to:
1. Proper land use. We need to plan our growth in a controlled manner that
ensures no urban sprawl and protection of the farmland.
2. Transportation. We must develop our existing transit system to be more user
friendly and to encourage more people to use it.

And b) the most important issue for the ward in which you're running?
The issues of immediate concern in ward three, together with those already
mentioned for the city as a whole, are:
1. The development in the northeast part of the ward
2. Including students as an active and integral part of the community
_____________________________________________________________

Name:
Rod Morley

Occupation:
Entrepreneur
Family information:
Wife – Ruth Ann, Daughter – Amber and Son - Codie

Community work:
Northeast Multicultural Market, Community Liaison Group for the Pottersburg
PCB removal, London Dog Owners Association, Advisory Committee on the
Environment, Environmental and Ecological Planning Advisory Committee,
Transit Advisory Committee, Sustainable Transportation Roundtable Group for the
2030 Transportation Master Plan

Would you support a four-year tax freeze (yes or no)?

No

Why or why not?

I don’t believe Londoners would want service levels cut. Council should aim for a
zero increase every year but I don’t believe that is a realistic goal. I could support a
yearly taxation increase that would reflect the rate of inflation for four years and I
would commit to be part of a Council team in helping to find efficiencies in the
City’s budget to prevent the inflation rate increase from reducing service levels for
four years.

Why do you want to represent Londoners at city hall?

I believe that I have the ability and the passion to help find ways to improve the
lives of all Londoners. I would also hope that my actions would aid in some way in
showing Londoners that there are politicians who care about improving the City
more that improving themselves.

What do you consider a) the most important issue for London? And b) the
most important issue for the ward in which you¹re running?
a) The most important issue is to get Council, City Staff and all London
organizations and citizens working together as a team to improve this City.
Collaboration not polarization will help move London forward.
b) Ward Three is very much a microcosm of the issues facing this City. The
Ward goes from new families living in large new houses in new subdivisions
to people that have lived in the Ward all their lives to students to people on
welfare and in subsidized housing. There has also been increase industrial
development. All of these groups have their own unique needs. I want to try
and bring these groups at least closer together to help try and develop a
strategic development plan for the Ward which will benefit everyone.
_____________________________________________________________
Name: Linda Freeman

Occupation:

Letter carrier (24 years, shop steward) Canada Post

Family information:

Married mother of four daughters(26,24,20,15) sister to London photographer

Richard Bain

Community work:

Neighbourhood watch coordinator in two areas past 20 years, big sisters

organization, organized petition for summer parking, volunteer for several
charities, sunday school teacher at First St. Andrews United Church, school
board trustee 1982-1997

Would you support a four-year tax freeze (yes or no)?

Yes

Why or why not?

There is money to be found that has been previously squandered. without

cutting services, it can be done, if the political will is there.

Why do you want to represent Londoners at city hall?

I want to promote economic growth to this city, so the increased assessment

can subsidize social programs and services such as new pools, libraries,
community centres.
 What do you consider a) the most important issue for London? And b)
the most important issue for the ward in which you're running?

The cost of doing business in London is too high. we are falling behind
economically compared to Windsor, Burlington, Kitchener, Waterloo area.
companies are leaving London and are not being replaced by new ones. the tax
payers have to make up the difference. not acceptable. ward 3 has much
commercial space to still be developed and serviced. we need business leaders
and especially the LEDC to aggressively attract new companies to not only our
city, but to ward 3. north London optimist centre is a jewel in the ward, but
London's east could use another community centre of this kind. thanks for the
opportunity to respond.
_____________________________________________________________

Name: Ali Haidar

Occupation: Lawyer

Family Information:

Recently married to a wonderful woman that also grew up in London. I was

raised with two brothers and one sister on Culver Crescent in Ward 3 by my
Mother (the World's greatest stay at home mom) and my late father who
worked at the former Westinghouse plant in the Ward and was subsequently a
small business owner for many years with a travel agency in Oxbury Mall.

Community Work:

- Volunteer founder of, and community advocate for, London PCB Watch. A
grass roots campaign to ensure that the cleanup of Canada's largest PCB
contaminated soil storage site (Over 80,000 tonnes located in Ward 3) was
completed in a safe, transparent and efficient manner. Activities included the
following: Organized community meetings to demand public accountability, met
with government officials at all levels, presented demands to the City Council
Environment and Transportation Committee. With the help and support of our
community we were able to deliver significant results for the effected citizens.
Among other successes, we were able secure blood testing for all interested
community members and successfully advocated for a community liaison group
to be developed to oversee the cleanup on behalf of the community.

- Board member with a nonprofit organization which among other activities

helps with the integration of newcomers to London and offers inclusive models
of service provision that involve an innovative process of collaboration between
mainstream service providers such as the Childrens Aid Society and
 communities in London.

- Volunteer youth basketball coach including at John Paul II Secondary School

(2008 AAA Junior City and WOSSA Champions!) - Volunteer with my wife at
the London Food Bank - Volunteer with my wife in the Lawyers Feed the
Hungry program

Would you support a four-year tax freeze (yes or no)?

This question is too important to the future of London to answer without having
the opportunity to closely study the details of such a plan.

Why or why not?

We need to start viewing tax increases as a last resort rather than the first
choice. There is no question that City Hall could operate in a much more efficient
manner, so if it is possible to cut enough waste out the system to compensate
for a tax freeze and not jeopardize essential services or the future growth of
London then I would definitely support a four-year tax freeze. Again I would
need to closely examine the details of a tax freeze plan, to ensure that we are
not taking short term steps which might jeopardize Londons long term health. In
any event elected representatives must work together and with a renewed spirit
of energy and co-operation to create new ways to raise revenue and cut costs
without being quick to download the burden on to hardworking Londoners.

Why do you want to represent Londoners at city hall?

I have travelled to, and worked in, many cities around the world, but no matter
where I have gone my heart has always been inextricably tied to my home -
London, Ontario, Canada. This is a special place, made up of wonderful people,
and Im tremendously optimistic about our Citys future. I see tremendous
untapped potential in Ward 3 and the City as a whole, as for too long we have
been satisfied with average results. I know we can, and with the right
leadership, will do better. This means leadership that works together to better
our city, acts solely in the public interest, and without regard to personal
aspirations. I hope that Londoners will consider my track record in the
community for delivering results in a co-operative manner and support this
approach on October 25, 2010. Average is no longer good enough for London!

What do you consider a) the most important issue for London? And b) the
most important issue for the ward in which youre running?

a) There are many issues I consider important for London, (unacceptable

unemployment levels, taxes, traffic congestion and public transportation, the
environment, public safety, and many other issues). However in order to begin
to address any and all of these issues our elected officials need to develop a
renewed spirit of co-operation and selflessness at City Hall. An ideologically
focused, personally driven, council will always struggle to gain the respect of the
public it is meant to serve, and as a result will have trouble effectively
addressing the specific issues we face. The attitude within and perception of City
Hall needs to change.

b) Quite simply JOBS! Ward 3 has been one of the hardest hit by the economic
down turn. When people lose their jobs or are at risk of losing their jobs it
makes everything else in life difficult. We must work tirelessly to engage
employers with solutions to stem job losses, but just as importantly seek out
companies from outside London and persuade them that London is the right
place to do business.